Ripples in an Ocean
by DispassionateCarrot
Summary: Eridan will never forget that fateful night when he watched helplessly as the one he loved died in his arms. But the guilt is too much of a burden to carry on like this for much longer. Will Roxy's carefree lease on life help him renter the world of living or will her mysterious past lead them both down a road of self destruction? (A Humanstuck AU) *Updates every Thursday*
1. Chapter 1 prologue

Authors Note: I would like to dedicate this chapter to my friend Anna its her Birthday and this is my present for her. The chapter is a little short because it mostly setting up the plot please feel free to critique, give advice or leave a comment.

Chapter 1 Prologue

The pearly white marbled walls of the ballroom sparkled in gleamed in his eyes as he whirled round and round for hours switching from one dance partner to the next. Each time he did so he was careful to offer only the most regal of bows to the young men and women that he invited to dance with. Each one he held close and for those brief moments he treated them as if they were the only person that mattered to him in the entire world. As the ball wound down its final hour he bide fare well to his current dance partner brushing his lips gently against the young women's fingers.

He walked away up towards his chambers before a small gentle sound stopped him in his steps. He turned around swiftly to politely say goodbye to the owner of such sound when his eyes locked on hers.

Immediately his face lit up as he recognized the curvy figure and mess of long tangled brown hair that had been swooped up into many braids twisted round into a bun. She smiled back at him a gesture that filled his heart with warmth like nothing else could do. He rushed to embrace her spinning her round in his arms while she giggled and snorted slightly. He set her down on her feet once again before she spoke

"hey Erifish!" she greeted in her customary way.

Immediately Eridan proceeded to blush "fef, I told you no more of your childish nicknames!" letting a whining tone seep into voice.

Feferi laughed again punching him lightly in his arm "oh Eridan, you'll always be the same old child to me!" she said teasingly.

"Whatever" he said looking grumpily at her before giving in and laughing as well. He looked back at Feferi sensing something different.

Feferi's eyes grew cold "you always were childish weren't you?" she asked severely, as she spoke the atmosphere around them changed, darkening.

Eridan looked slightly hurt she couldn't have meet that could she?

"and you still are" she said advancing forward her tone dangerously icey .

"and now your childish ways and fist of tantrum have killed me Eridan" she spoke shrilly "Im dead and it's all because of you!" her voice rising with each word quickly escalating to a scream.

Eridan stumbled backward confusion and fear filling his eyes. "wh-what are you talkin' about?" he managed to stammer out.

"You're r-right in front of me Fef plain as daylight!" as he said as he noticed something he somehow missed before; Feferi's eyes had become as white and clear as the moon outside.

He stumbled back further fear raging inside him as Feferi's shreaks continued to pick up in intensity until even his own thoughts had become inaudible.

Breathing heavily he found himself suddenly pressed in from all sides as if the very walls were being pushed together and constricting him. Feferi continued forward, walking towards him still wailing loudly. "Please, Fef, please! Im sorry! Forgive me!" he cried out pleading with the now empty and hollow creature before him.

"PLEASE!" he screamed bolting up right out of bed his entire body covered in sweat.

Switching on the lamp he rushed over to the bathroom in the hallway. Turning on the faucet in the sink he proceeded to splash cold water on his face. Waiting for his heart to reside back to its usual pass, he sunk down to sit on the toilet resting his head in both hands and sighing deeply.

_Are the nightmares never ending? _He thought to himself as he slowly began to calm down.

He heard a faint rustle from beyond the bathroom looking up for the first time he noticed him standing in the door way; a average height scrawny 20-something year old with unruly jet black hair, olive skin, dark brown eyes with intense bags under them. His arms were folded a slightly pissed yet understanding look was on his face; one of irritation, but sympathy and understanding. "Nightmares again huh?" he finally said looking down at the floor.

Eridan looked him over his eyes narrowed in arrogance and suspicion yet tonight he hadn't the strength to put up a front. "..yes" he responded slowly his voice barely louder than a whisper. He felt his throat constrict tightly as he looked up to meet Karkat's gaze. "I thought by now the guilt would be gone Kar, I thought the pain in my heart would be healed" he said hoarsely as if it pained him to talk.

Karkat sighed and offered up a shrug "sometimes, some people take more time to heal then others, it's not fucking fair but that's the way it goes, I'm sure the pain will go away eventually, until then I guess you just have to go on living with it." he knew it was a sucky explanation but he had tried so many times before to comfort this douchebag and so many times he had failed, he was running out of inspirational bullshit to say.

Eridan just nodded, slowly he got up and shuffled past Karkat retreating into his bedroom and shutting the door he pulled himself into bed and lie under the covers staring blankly at the ceiling waiting for Morning to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Author note: Again I'd like to dedicate this chapter and story to my friend Anna. I see all these people putting disclaimers on their works but I'm pretty sure you don't need it otherwise this wouldn't be a fan fiction site. But just in case you somehow couldn't figure this out all ready I don't on Homestuck or any of its characters.

Chapter 2;

Get the Fuck up Before I Break your Wand

Eridan sat at the table stirring his mini wheats into mini-mush. He stared at the bowl grimacing at it before looking over at Karkat who sat directly opposite of him starring him down, arms crossed. Eridan sighed scooping up a large pile of the mush and shoveling it into his mouth with obvious distaste. He looked back over at Karkat still with same expression on his face.

Finally Eridan stood up exasperated "What Kar? What is it? I'm fuckin' eatin' aren't I? What more do you glubbin' want?" he snapped at him.

Karkat continued to stare, looking Eridan up and down. Before the accident he had always been so prideful of his looks never going anywhere without a fresh shower, a fresh set of fashionable clothes and perfectly styled hair.

Now he looked more of a wreck then Karkat, wearing a sweat and food stained purple t-shirt and ragged blue sweatpants, his hair was greasy and overgrown, a faint and faded hint of purple brushed the tips of his brown hair in front, where the purple streak he had taken to be his trademark was, his face was oily and massive dark circles lined his under-eye, and his breath always stunk like a 30 day old tuna.

Karkat paused before speaking "what do I fucking want? ...I want you back to fucking normal, I want back that selfish piece of shit douchebag that I became friends with. This asshat in front of me is certainly not that guy."

Eridan shrugged having heard it before, it had basically become a daily dispute between them lately. Finding he lost the motivation to argue he sat back down in his chair to resume playing with his food.

Karkat let out an exasperated sigh pushing himself away from the table and standing up throwing his bowl in the sink and stalking towards the bathroom to take a shower before he had to head to work.

He grabbed a towel out of the closet slamming the door shut as he entered the bathroom enough to make Eridan, still seeping in his own misery, jump.

Eridan got up grumbled as he threw his food in the trash and bowl in the sink and stalked to his room.

Once in his room he took a quick look around for the first time in a while, Empty tuna cans and clothes scattered the floor his tattered and stained mattress laid askew on the ground beside his bed frame, which had seen better days, his books were scattered all over his desk mixed in with the mountains of papers with neat scrawl or elaborate drawings on their stained, torn and wrinkled skin. Seeing the sorry shape of his room did little to affect his mood whereas, once one dust speck was enough to send him on an all day cleaning excursion. The only thing that remained orderly seemed to be his collection of wands neatly displayed in there stands, a sign perhaps that they had not totally lost the old Eridan.

Eridan sat down in his seat hunching over to begin reading where he left off, chapter 35 he believed.

"'Come on, Larvlo" pansy shouted as she dragged Larvlo outside  
the academy doors and into the brisk clean summer air.  
"Where are we going?" asked larvlo looking up at the herd of  
pegasi flying above. "It's a secret" Pansy said excitedly."

Eridan threw the book down in disgust suddenly sick of its contents. Throwing himself on the mattress, he decided he wouldn't be bothered with re-reading such childish tales.

A knock came at the door ignoring the sound Eridan pressed his face into the damp and dusty smells of the mattress.

He heard a small sigh coming from the other end of the door "listen man, I'm sorry about earlier... I acted like a complete nook stain, it's just fucking hard ok? Not just for you for me too dammit. I can't stand seeing you this way, you're my best friend…"

Karkat waited for a response but none came. He began to walk away before deciding against it. "hey, how about we go out for beers tonight? Ya' know for old times? I'll even by you one of those fruity cocktail things you love so much"

Eridan contemplated it had been a long time since he had gone out of course he drank, he drank almost every night the beer bottles evidence enough though the shit Karkat bought was hardly considered palatable. To be honest he had been craving a good margarita since god knows how fuckin' long. "alright" he said

"fine" Karkat said angrily "just fucking ignore me-wait did you just say alright?" Karkat looked confused but happy "alright, I'll be home around 8 be ready by then" Karkat said actually pretty happy for once, of course that meant he couldn't invite anyone else perhaps john but anyone else might overwhelm him.

Pulling out his laptop Eridan sat on the mattress playing various wizard games for hours, before finally pulled out of his world by the ring of the door bell. He ignored it at first but whoever it was at the door seemed rather persistent ring it over and over again. Eridan came out of his room adjusting to the light in the hallway he walked towards the door before opening it a couple inches a squinting outside to see who it was.

A tall dark-tan, 24 year old stood in the door way, his mop of black hair obscuring his dark brown eyes will a big purple beanie rest near the back of his head. He wore a black hoodie over his "make peace not war" shirt, black cargo pants clothed, and a worn out pair of purple converse allstars.

"Hey my motherfucking bro." he said pushing past Eridan into the living room and taking a seat "what's up?"

Eridan sighed he was use to Gamzee's sporadic encounters, he had never really like the troll but he was the only one who didn't constantly feel the need to comfort or psychoanalysis him so he had built up a tolerance.

"Hi Gam" he said "Karkat's not home yet so ugh…I guess you can wait here for him…"

"Nah, bro I know, Karkat's all up and getting his work on right?" Gamzee propped his feet up on the coffee table "yeah I was just up and wondering this motherfucking neighborhood and decided to pop on by and see if my bro needed a puff of this miraculous stuff"

Eridan grimaced ever since that one time Gamzee had gotten him to try it he would never let him alone. Course it had weird ass affects on him, and he would never consider doing it in again in a million years.

"no fuckin' thanks Gam. You honestly think after last time I'm gonna try and smoke that filth again? Weed is bullshit" he said walking over to the fridge and getting to beers out of the fridge and handing one to Gamzee "now if you'll excuse me I got shit to do" he said lying as walked down the hall and back into the recess of his cave.

Karkat walked into the house to find a snoring Gamzee passed out on the couch. He rolled his eyes throwing an empty powerade bottle at him "hey Gamzee, wake the fuck up you pathetic mooch!"

"Hey Eridan, you lazy P.O.S. , I'm home, ready to go?" he said looking around slightly hopeful.

"no use, my motherfucking best friend, our bro Eridan's not coming out—he took a 6 pack in there with him around 2—" Gamzee said waking up slightly groggy.

Karkat eyebrows knitted together in anger as he marched down the hall and banged on Eridan's door. "ERIDAN I KNOW YOUR IN THERE, PLEASE GET THE FUCK UP, YOU SORRY ASS EXCUSE FOR HUMAN LIFE, BEFORE I FUCKING BREAK EVERY LAST ONE OF YOUR WANDS" he said shouting.

When nobody answered he decided to brave it opening the door and entering the rat infested hell hole that was his best friends current residence. He looked around trying to find him in the mess.

Spotting his hair peaking out from under the bed he grabbed at it pulling him half way out from under there.

Eridan woke up to immense pain in his head and not from any hangover he struggled and flailed as Karkat tried pulling him out from under the bed, though how he had gotten there was a mystery to him as well.

"just leave me alone!" Eridan whined smacking feebly at Karkat's arms, trying to push him away.

"No! you promised me we would go out tonight you fuckwad and your going like it or not" he said letting go of Eridan's hair.

Eridan rubbed his head "but I've already had like 5 fuckin' beers" he said miserably.

"Fine then, will get you some non alcoholic beverage, It's not like your driving anyways" he said angrily. "I would ask you to take a shower but we both know that isn't gonna happen so get your coat and let's go, will take Gamzee along with us".

It took a lot of effort from Karkat but eventually Gamzee decided to pick him up and carry him to the car. And just like that Eridan, for the first time in 2 years was going out.


End file.
